A TRIBUTE TO MOMMY- MERLE MARTIN JONES
- Dr. Jennifer Jones-Morales
- May 10
- 5 min read
‘THE GIVING TREE”
This weekend will be one of the toughest weekends for me emotionally for this year. Today, Saturday 9 May, 2026 marks one year since my mother transitioned to meet her Maker. Tomorrow, many people who still have their mothers or mother figures with them around will be celebrating Mother’s Day. For me, it will be a day of remembrance, gratitude and deep longing.
There has not been a single day where I have not thought of my dearest mother. I think about the lessons that she taught us, the laughter that we shared every Saturday when we went shopping, the trips that we made and the values - honestly, integrity, fairness and strong morals - that she instilled in me and my brother, Nigel, to ensure that we became good citizens.
I knew that Mommy wanted the best for her children and she was prepared to make the sacrifices that were required to make that a reality. She was one of the most selfless persons that I have ever known. What was especially remarkable was that she did not wait for you to ask for things - she simply provided. She knew our needs before we even voiced them. As children, she ensured we got the best that she had to offer. From about the age of five, I remember that every Christmas, as we had to go Johnson’s and Johnson’s to get our new shoes. Later, when she began visiting the United States to spend some time with Auntie Sydell, she would return with so much clothes and we had to make them last for the entire year until she visited the next August. Let the truth be told, Mommy shopped for clothes for me up until I was about 40 years old!
Mommy was very logical and practical. She was also very Afro-centric and read every issue of Essence magazine, JET, Ebony that she could find. She was a true regionalist and loved Bob Marley to the core. Our first LP on our first record player was “Kaya” by the legendary reggae star. I remember Junior coming to visit and talking to her about the album. Our first 45RPM was “Rock the Boat!”. Mommy also loved Michael Jackson. She would have been ecstatic to learn that there was a biography of his life in the cinema. She appreciated Michael’s phenomenal talent and somehow sensed that he would not live a long life.
Mommy also appreciated our culture and the Arts. She loved to listen to WITCO Desperadoes at Carnival time and eagerly awaited Pat Bishop’s comments during Panorama. In spite of the fact that Mommy was quiet , she was also sagacious. You could go to her for sound advice. One of the things that I found incredible about her was that she often spoke to me in parables. And she knew words. She did the crossword puzzles in the newspapers daily. When I was writing the GCE exams, she quietly said “Don’t let anyone have cause to laugh at you when the results are published!” She once told me that “Don’t be a fool. You are not foolish.”
Another of mommy’s special traits that she had was her deep love for her family. I remember her close relationship with Auntie Linda have fond memories of their exchanges of the Christmas and New Years luncheons. If one had Christmas luncheon one year, the other one would host the New Year’s luncheon and vice versa. I also remember her countless visits to Auntie Sydell. Then there were the joyful “limes” with Uncles Theo, Lloyd, and Horace. Times when they all reminisced about Mother and Papa and “dem long time days”. One of the things that I knew for sure, was that she adored her grandson!!!
Mommy also treasured her friends: Wilma, Joan, Gloria and Pearl to name a few. She was also resilient and this was clearly demonstrated during her prolonged divorce proceedings which lasted 4 years. During that time, she had deepened her faith and she used to trek up to Mt. St. Benedict some days. As a matter of fact, a few days ago, I walked up to the Mount in honour of the first anniversary of her passing.
Mommy was a loving mother and for me, she is the best mom ever! She wanted us to be successful and did not want anything to step in the way. When I went on scholarship to Japan in 1994, my dear Uncle Carlie passed away, mommy advised the family that they should not tell me anything because she did not want to me to become emotional in such a far off place and detract from my studies. I think that was also because she believed that if you went on scholarship, you had to do your best and perform. I say that because when I was on scholarship to read for my MBA, she came to help me for 2 months in the first year and 3 months in the second year. She helped me immensely with my chores. She loved us so much that when I was sick in 1995, she used to feel the pain that I was feeling and she used to try to “rub out the pain” for me. What an incredible human being.
In the workplace, mommy was well respected and her colleagues sought her counsel. Some of the funniest and deepest secrets were told to her. She was known for being fair. She was always of even keel. She guarded her calmness and peace. Such was her reputation and impact that when she passed last year, three of her former colleagues attended her funeral even though she had retired 33 years earlier. Mommy instilled in us the importance of doing one’s part. If you do what you had to do, everything will fall into place. She also taught us to take responsibility for our actions. She was a sophisticated dresser who chose her clothes very carefully. She believed in brands because she wanted to have the best quality that she could afford. She would say, “It is not the same thing!” if you told her you found something for a much cheaper price than what she paid for it. She also believed in supporting the small business owners and she showed her allegiance to some of them by purchasing sometimes at a higher price. She was a loyal customer to many. She was also a serious “tipper” for the wrappers in the groceries and she was well known for that. One time, one wrapper shoved another one out of the way to carry the bags for mommy! It was a really funny family story that we laughed about for years!
Let me end by saying that last month, Sheldon and I went to visit Ephie in Canada, who represents a mother figure to me. Ephie gave Sheldon a copy of the book called “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein to read and he was so moved by it, that he passed it on to me. When I read this little book, (only 65 pages), all I could have thought about was mommy as the tree (metaphorically speaking of course! Lol!). Her unconditional and self-sacrificing devotion to us shaped us into who we are today. For all she gave, she asked for nothing in return. She was a mother of unconditional love and selflessness to her children and she made many sacrifices for us. She was generous to her family in more ways that we would ever know. She believed that her left hand did not have to know what the right hand was doing.
Mommy, you will always be in my heart! On this Mother’s Day, I celebrate and show gratitude for your deep love and affection.
Rest in peace, mommy! Best mom ever!
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